7'0 Center Matz Stockman Chooses the Blue and Gold

Matz Stockman, the 7'0" 240 lb center out of Norway, announced today on Twitter that he will be graduate transferring to Cal. Good news for Wyking Jones and company, as they continue to fine tune the roster heading into 2018-19. The addition of Stockman strengthens the front line noticeably, adding depth and size where it is certainly needed. Depending on scholarship availability, this could be the final piece in the 2018-19 puzzle.

In Stockman's freshman year at Louisville, he appeared in four games, averaging 5.5 minutes per contest, contributing 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 points and 1.0 blocks per game.

Stockman's junior year he averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in 4.1 minutes of action.

Matz then transferred to Minnesota, where he sat out last season. He graduated this spring and sought a better opporunity. Georgia Tech and a potential return to Louisville were also involved, but after visiting Berkeley over the weekend, Cal was it.

Stockman is an excellent fit for this year's roster. Although he doesn't have a lot of game time experience, logging in a career-best 6.2 minutes in the 2015-2016 season, he brings experience of playing meaningful March basketball. Stockman will be able to eat up some quality minutes for the first time in his career and provide much-needed rim protection and length which is something this roster has been lacking across the board.

There are several clips of Matz on YouTube...playing and interviews. In this one he getsstuffed...but not in a bad way=> he is driving to the basket, not just standing there like a statue.According to Pitino, he has a 7''6" wing span.But then Pitino said...in another context:"Damn it, I just told you that I didn't know anything like that was going on."

Being a Cal fan: "You can check out any time you want,but you can never leave"

I might be in the minority on this, but I would be totally fine if we developed a one-or-two-year masters program on something like Sports Management, or Sports and Society, or "Education Something", as long as it consisted of real courses, taught by real faculty, complete with some non-athlete students. Less stringent admission standards than most of our grad programs, but at least some minimal, respectable standards.

The notion that this would damage the integrity of our other grad programs is absurd, IMO.

So Inwould be interested in why he is coming here. Does the goodbpossibility of starting and playing big minutes entice him? Does hebthink that by coming here he may improve enough to get drafted? Thats what Marcus Lee thought.

The regular MPH program is 2 years. Cal's online MPH program, which is rated the nation's top online program, is 2.5 years. All the grad transfers are enrolled in the online program. My son just graduated from the online MPH program. Two members of his class were Grant Mullins and Nick Kerr. The program is quite intensive, since each class is 6-8 weeks long, and is geared to working professionals.

2017-18 | Senior Season: Sat out the season due to NCAA transfer rules.2016-17 | Junior Season (Louisville):Appeared in 18 games in a reserve role averaged 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game in 4.1 minutes of action also added three assists, two blocks and two steals averaged 13.3 minutes of action in the three games starter Anas Mahmoud missed with a concussion in December 2016, averaging 8.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in those three games scored a career-high 10 points at Grand Canyon, finishing the game 3-of-3 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line (Dec. 3) scored in six games while grabbing a rebound 11 times during the year.2015-16 | Sophomore Season (Louisville):Saw action in 23 games averaged 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per contest scored in 16 games scored his then-career highs of eight points and five rebounds against Kennesaw State (Dec. 16) posted back-to-back six-point outings in ACC play against Notre Dame and Syracuse (Feb. 13-16) played season-high 17 minutes at Virginia (Mar. 5).2014-15 | Freshman Season (Louisville):Appeared in four games, averaging 5.5 minutes per contest contributed 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 points and 1.0 blocks per game scored baskets against Jacksonville State (Nov. 17) and Savannah State (Nov. 24) also blocked four shots, registering two rejections against FIU (Dec. 5) and Virginia Tech (Jan. 13).High School:Attended and played basketball at the Canarias Basketball Academy in Gran Canaraia in Spain's Canary Islands during the 2013-14 season ranked among the top 200 collegiate prospects in 2014 by 247Sports.com averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots over nine games while playing for Norway in the 2013 U18 European Championships scored 18 points against Holland in 21 minutes for his top scoring effort in that event and blocked eight shots against Romania also played soccer in high school as a goalie.Personal:Born Jan. 30, 1995 ... Son of Eirik and Inger Stockman ... Has two older brothers -- Jacob and Bendik -- and a sister Joanna ... Major is communication studies.

I didn't realize until now.... after 3 year with Rick Pitino in Louisville, he goes to Minnesota under Richard Pitino. I wonder if it was like, "son, I need to loose a scholarship slot, can you take this kid for me?"Which becomes, "hey, old pal, Wyking. I'm gonna do you a solid!"

Today, we turn to Matz Stockman, a little-used 7-foot center from Norway who quietly developed through his freshman year but is still a work in progress.

THE RUNDOWNThere is not much that can be said about Stockman's freshman season at U of L, mainly because he played in four games for a total of 22 minutes and didn't see the floor after collecting three rebounds and two blocks in a comfortable win over Virginia Tech on Jan. 13.

He came to U of L as a project, and that's still the most fitting label for him. At 7 feet, 240 pounds, Stockman obviously has great size. He moves well and is actually a skilled big man. But his learning curve is still steep, and there are five other big men on the team who appear to be ahead of him on the depth chart.

U of L coach Rick Pitino has said several times that Stockman, since he signed with Louisville, has struggled with American basketball terminology and the physical American way of playing the game. He is making significant headway in those areas, but there was a lot of ground to make up.It's reasonable to expect Stockman, while he developed quite a bit, especially toward the end of the season, to need more time before he can be an impact player.

THE GOODLouisville's coaching staff loves Stockman's potential. They wouldn't have signed him if they didn't. The basketball language barrier is a significant one, but they don't question if he can play.

Pitino recently told The Courier-Journal that he and his coaches are "high" on Stockman in drills. The big-bodied Norwegian has a 7-6 wingspan and can score in the post. He can run the floor a bit and has a nice touch around the basket.

THE BADOnce he arrived at U of L, Stockman needed time to adjust to the American way of playing the game. European basketball has far more freedom of movement and flow to it, with skilled big men who can step out and hit long-range jumpers.U of L is one of the more physical teams in the country, pressing fullcourt and playing a frenetic 2-3 matchup zone that requires tons of movement and trapping and communication from the 5 man.

Stockman isn't a big-time shot blocker or rebounder, either, but those are areas he can improve as he develops, just like the aforementioned issues.

FINAL WORDStockman is perhaps the most intriguing player on Louisville's roster aside from freshman guard Ryan McMahon, who, like Stockman, signed with the Cardinals with little fanfare. He has the kind of size that every coach wants, and he is skilled enough to become a very good player.Once he grasps the complicated system he plays in and the American game, Stockman could be an important asset for Louisville. It's just not clear yet when that will be.

UWhen we play a center, he will be our starterHe has a pretty good body for D1 (vanover needs time to bulk up). He has D1 experience, and looks quick enough. All he needs to do is defend, rebound and have one go to scoring move (plus put backs)

I saw a video of a scrimmage his freshmen year. That team was loaded with athletic bigs that were better for their aggressive style. He passed well in the few minutes he played so hopefully that will be part of what he brings